NAME__Anjali Karthikeyan_________________

Pd. __5____

LAB PARTNER’S NAME___Kera Stinett_________________

Lab: Graphs and the Relationship between Mass and Volume
PROCEDURE:
You will measure the volume and mass of different pieces of the following materials. Record your
observations in the tables below.

DATA: (DON’T FORGET PRECISION!)

Material 1
Volume (cm3) Mass (g)
rod e) 7.1 55.89
rod c) 3.9 26.79
rod b ) 2.1 15.34
rod d) 5.3 44.86
rod a) 1.8 4.94
Table 1: Measured mass and volume for material 1

Material 2
Volume (cm3) Mass (g)
rod e) 10.9 28.9
rod d) 6.7 18.84
rod c) 6.4 17.31
rod b) 1.9 5.90
rod a) 0.1 1.71
Table 2: Measured mass and volume for material 2

ANALYSIS:
All parts of a straight line have the same, constant slope. When a mathematical constant is discovered as
a result of scientific experiments, it is often given a name. The slope you have just calculated for is called
the Density. This is a very important relationship because it is the same for any piece of that material.
Density is a property of matter and tells us “HOW MUCH STUFF there is in A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
SPACE.”
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

ANALYSIS QUESTIONS:
0
1. Using the “Common Graph Forms” file, what type of relationship exists between mass and
volume for a particular material? It is a linear relationship.
2. What do the slopes of your graph represent? How much volume per gram of each material.

3. What are the densities of each material determined from your graph?

Material 1: __8.27____________ Material 2: ____2.8__________

4. Using the table on the first page, what do you think the materials you used are?

5.

Material 1: _Iron_____________ Material 2: ____Aluminum__________

6. Now that you have determined your slopes from your hand-drawn graph, use LoggerPro to
graph the same data. Have LoggerPro determine the slope of the two metals. Graph each metal
as a different data set.

7. Compare the slopes generated from your hand-drawn graph to the slopes of the LoggerPro
graph. Assume the LoggerPro slopes are “correct”. Showing all the work (formula, plug in with
units, and answer), calculate the percentage error and show all calculations using insert
equation!

a. Metal 1 slope percent error: 8.459-8.27=0.189/8.459=0.0223x100=2.23%

b. Metal 2 slope percent error: 2.499-2.8=-.301/2.499=-.1204x100=-12.04x-1=12.04%

8. Jerry, a member of the neighboring lab group, stuck a glob of clay to the tray of your triple beam
balance when you weren’t looking (and you forgot to calibrate) when you measured the largest
metal piece (only affecting that measurement), would the slope of your line be artificially too
high, too low, or remain unaffected? Remain unaffected, that measurement would become an
outlier, all the points still fit the same slope.

9. If Jerry had done the same thing, but only for your measurement of the smallest piece, would
the slope of your line be artificially too high, too low, or remain unaffected? Remaining
 unaffected, that measurement would still become an outlier.

10. Your lab partner, Jimmy, wasn’t being careful. Every time he dropped the metal pieces into the
graduated cylinder, some water would splash out. Assuming a similar amount splashed out each
time, would the slope of your line be artificially too high, too low, or remain unaffected?
Most likely too low, it's the same amount of water splashing out each time.
11. How would Jimmy’s mistake affect the position of the line on the graph (shift up, down, left,
right, or no effect)?
Down, because all the points would be lower than they need to be.
12. What does the origin represent? If your line of best fit does not go through the origin, what
might be a potential cause? Your graph is scaled differently, so it is only zooming in on one
section of information.

13. Why is it essential to take up as much of the graph paper as possible when drawing a hand
drawn graph?
You can see any mistakes you made clearly.
14. Why is it necessary to graph the data of five points? In other words, why not simply measure the
mass and volume of one piece to calculate the density? It is more accurate to have multiple
pieces. If any mistakes are made, they can be seen easily.

CONCLUSION:

The purpose of the lab was to see how important it is to remain precise and accurate. We found that it is
important to look through all of your data and manage your time wisely, for example, I got distracted by
the people around me and took too long measuring volume. Our percent error between the hand drawn
graph and the Loggerpro graph was 2.23% for material a, and 12.04% for material b. The answer we
arrived at made sense for material a but did not for material b. Some sources of error that we had were
the water splashing out of the graduated cylinder and properly calibrating the triple beam balance.